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Dogs love their crates. They can be used for training, as an “overnight” bed, or to help your pet feel safe when you’re away from home (but don’t leave your pup in their crate for more than 8 hours).
Most people choose to put the crate near them while they sleep so that their pup is nearby if they need to go out. Is this the right thing to do?
There’s no one right answer when it comes to deciding where best to put a dog crate. It all depends on what works best for you and your furry friend!
Where To Put Dog Crate In House?
Depending on the personality of your dog will help determine where their crate should be placed. If they love social interaction a busier spot in your home is a great choice. If they prefer their quiet time and frequent naps then a spot with less commotion would suit them better.
Here are some of our favorite places around the house where we like putting dog crates…and why each spot is great!
Table of Contents
3 Main Places To Put A Dog Crate In Your Home
Busy Places In Your Home
Dog crates are great tools for training and safety. But, they can be a bit tricky to place in your home.
If you have a dog crate that is too close to the bedroom or kitchen, it may cause disruptions when you’re trying to sleep at night or relax during the day.
However, if you put it in an area of low traffic with little-to-no activity, then your pup will feel lonely and isolated from the rest of their family members.
The best place for your dog crate should be somewhere that is considered busy by most standards.
Such as near the living room. This placement helps keep them feeling like part of your household; while also keeping them safe from accidents around the house.
It also allows you to give them some space while still being within sight. This way they don’t feel alone all day long!
It’s important to remember that dogs are considerably social animals. They thoroughly enjoy being around people as well as other dogs.
If they’re left isolated for too long this can make them super unhappy.
Quiet Places In Your Home
Now this may seem a little counter-intuitive, but, having a place in your home for their crate that’s nice and quiet is also a great idea for certain situations.
If you’re having a family gathering or a get-together with music playing loudly, your dog might appreciate their crate being away from the chaos and somewhere quiet they can relax.
Most people know dog’s have much better hearing than we do.
But what many don’t know is that when they’re in an environment where things are considerably loud, this can cause them some anxiety.
If a party is in the plans, it’s a good idea to have their crate in a place where they can be away from the commotion. It will allow them to relax and feel safe.
Related Reading: How Long Can I Leave My Dog In A Crate | The Truth
Your Bedroom
If you’re dealing with a young pup, having their crate in your bedroom could be a good idea.
Putting your puppy’s crate near your bed will allow you to easily get up and let them out at night. This helps you not have to walk across the entire house (or wake anyone else up).
It simply makes it easier for everyone involved. If you need to take them out during the night or early morning hours having their crate by you is a great idea.
Your pup won’t have far to go if they need to relieve themselves. They’ll also feel more secure being closer to you at all times.
Locations You Should Never Put A Dog Crate In
You should always avoid putting your dog crate in a few major areas. Here are five spots to avoid putting your dog crate:
Near Poisonous Plants Or Chemicals
Avoid putting your dog crate near any poisonous plants or chemicals. Some common toxic dog houseplants include aloe vera, lilies, and dieffenbachia.
If you have any of these plants in your home, keep them away from your dog’s crate. You should also avoid putting your dog’s crate near cleaning supplies or chemicals.
For example, garages often have toxic chemicals and cleaners. So if you put your dog’s crate in the garage, there is a risk that your dog could get sick from inhaling fumes or swallowing chemicals.
Heavy Foot Traffic Areas
You should also avoid putting your dog’s crate in a heavy foot traffic area. Dogs are very sensitive to noise and commotion.
If you put your dog’s crate in a high-traffic area, it will likely stress your dog out.
Additionally, if you have young children, they may accidentally run into the crate and disturb your dog. You can still keep the crate in a busy area. Just make sure it’s out of the way.
Isolated Areas
This one may seem counterintuitive, but you should avoid putting your dog’s crate in an isolated area. Dogs are social creatures, and they thrive on companionship.
If you place your dog in a crate and leave them in a remote area, they will likely become anxious and stressed.
This is especially important for breeds like Goldendoodles prone to separation anxiety. However, some dogs may prefer their own space and area, so take into account your dog’s personality.
Plugs Or High Voltage
Another place on the avoid list is placing your dog’s crate near plugs or high-voltage areas.
This is a safety hazard for both you and your dog. If your dog chews through the wires, they could get electrocuted.
Puppies are notorious chewers, so it’s best to keep their crate far away from any plugs or electrical cords if you have a young dog. This means TV cords, phone chargers, etc.
Near Vents Or Windows
Certain areas in your home will have temperature changes due to vents, windows, or drafts. Therefore, you should avoid putting your dog’s crate near any of these areas.
Windows can let light in and create a heat lamp effect, making the area too warm for your dog. Likewise, vents can blast your dog with heat or cold air, depending on the season.
And drafts can make an area too cold for some dogs, especially in the winter.
Where Should I Put My Puppy’s Crate At Night?
The best place to start your puppy off is in your room. This way, they can get used to your presence and sleeping schedule.
As they start to grow more comfortable, you can begin to move the crate to another area of the house. Ultimately, you want the crate in a cozy spot for you and your puppy.
What To Put In A Dog Crate?
Now that you know where to put a dog crate, you must ensure it’s set up correctly. The first step is to get the right size crate.
Getting a crate that is big enough for your dog to stand up and turn around comfortably is essential. However, you want a crate that is manageable in size. If the crate is too big, your dog may be able to use the bathroom in one corner and sleep in the other.
The next step is to make sure the crate is comfortable. You can do this by adding some bedding. Now depending on how old your dog is, there are some things you’ll want to avoid keeping in the crate.
For puppies, avoid giving them toys or choking hazards at night or when you can’t supervise them. When you can supervise them, they can have toys and such in the crate, but only when you can keep an eye on them.
For adult dogs, depending on their chewing habits, try to avoid giving them anything they can destroy and choke on. If your dog doesn’t have a chewing problem, then feel free to add some toys to the crate.
You can read our full post on what to put in a dog crate for more details.
Should You Put Food And Water In Your Dog’s Crate?
You may wonder if you should put food and water in your dog’s crate. For puppies that are being potty trained, no. For adult dogs, you can.
Puppies shouldn’t have access to water or food because they may go potty in their crate. If potty training your puppy, you want to avoid accidents in the crate.
However, there is an exception to this. When getting your dog familiar and comfortable in the crate, you should be feeding them their meals in the crate. This will help create a positive association with the crate. However, once your puppy is potty trained, you can stop feeding them in the crate.
As for adult dogs, they can have food and water in their crates. Just make sure to put the food and water in a spot where they won’t be able to knock it over.
I do not ever have food or water in my dog’s crate, but it’s up to you to determine what’s best for your dog.
Final Thoughts
The great thing about crates is they are, for the most part, made to be able to move. They can easily be folded and moved to different locations in your home or wherever you’re traveling.
This means based on the circumstances you can move their crate based on the environment in your home to best suit them.
If it’s just you and your family home and you’re trying to get some cleaning done…
Having their crate in the living room where people are is a good choice.
However, if you’re having a bunch of people over and it’s likely that things will get pretty loud. It’s a good idea to put their crate away from the commotion so they can relax.
If you have the means and your home is big enough, getting a second crate isn’t a terrible idea as well!
Other posts you might find interesting:
The 27 Best Dog Crates For Small Dogs And Puppies
